You know, I don't remember telling you about this before. If I have, forgive me.
John Charles Smith was born and his young years were spent being raised in England by his Grandmother Ellen Frost Horton Smith. I am sure she was a stickler for proper etiquet and such things. Some of what he had been taught must have stuck with him, because he was always reminding the three of us kids to have "manners". First of all, we were never to chew with our mouths open. We were never to smack our lips while eating either. When we were at the table we were to set still, and mind ourselves. I cannot remember our ever leaving the table for anything while it was a meal time. We went to the bathroom and washed our hands before we ever came to the table. Conversation was usually something that we could all participate in. We loved hearing about what Dad was doing or was planning.
The folks were great picnic takers. We would enjoy a day at the park, or beach and Mom would always have a picnic lunch for us. We never had bought food when we were out. On occasion on a ride, Dad would stop at a Market and he and Mom would get lunch meat and rolls usually for quick sandwiches. There would always be cookies and fruit of somekind. These were such special treats for us. I don't recall any of us fighting over things. Not that we were all that "good", it was just that we fought over attention more than anything else. Ronald being the middle child, and the "best looking" was always claiming that I was getting the better of everything because I was the "baby". I of course thought that Ronald was being favored because, "Mom liked him best". Now it seems frivolous, back then it was just being kids I guess.
What would Mom make for those special picnics? Well there was always meat loaf. It always made the best sandwiches. Then she would make potato salad and of course pickled eggs. A great favorite of the whole family. Now it was the potato salad that was to become a sore spot with Mom. You see Ronald always said he didn't like mayonnaise. That was tolerated for a long time as I remember, until one day while Ron was wolfing down a plate of Moms potato salad she asked Ron if he really didn't like mayonnaise. He told he he couldn't stand it. She just chuckled and told him he had an odd way of showing it - that potato salad you are eating is made with mayonnaise. He stopped eating, looked at the plate and said: "well it is O.K. in potato salad, but I don't like it, meaning the mayonnaise of course. The subject never came up again.
Mom made great baked beans too. We love eating them cold. Another favorite after we came to California was going out for breakfast early on the week-ends. Nothing like having bacon and eggs, with home fries in the open air. Of course there was always coffee on the stove then and it smelled so good in the out of doors. I was too young to drink it back then, and now, I don't, but still like the smell of it at a campsite.
Back to etiquet. I can't remember when Dad started taking us out for Dinner. I was at least 6 I believe. Ralph was 7 years older than me and Ron was 4 years older. When Dad would hear of a particularly fine resturant he would save up and make reservations for the family. On those particular nights Mom would have us all cleaned up with our "Sunday Best" on ready to go when Dad came home from work. He would clean up and dress and away we would go. Usually these special places were in Los Angeles, which ment we took the car. Each of us knew just how we were to act. We were to enter the place like civilized people. There was no running to the bathroom. We had been properly coached on getting that sort of thing over with before we left the house. As mentioned elsewhere, we had hats and gloves on. Oh, and a purse of course.
We would be seated and look over the menu. No hamburgers or hot dogs. We would order from the menu. Either Mom or Dad would help us, so we got what we would eat of course. What an adventure. I discovered such interesting things to eat. We went to French, Italian and Scandinavian resturants. I think our favorite was "Bit of Sweden". It was like the buffets you see today, only the food was different. Very luscious and beautifully displayed. We took our plate and was able to pick what ever we wanted, but we knew we were not to take more than we could eat. We learned very early not to waste food. I discovered Italian Ice Cream. It was one of Dads favorites. I like it as well, but not often, it is rich. On one of these outings I learned to love French Onion Soup.
On more than one occasion we followed a great meal with a visit to one of the Theaters in Los Angeles. We saw plays and ballets and musical threatre as well. Again we were not to run to the bathroom, or fidget in our seats. We were there to be educated, and that ment we needed to act like we had education, at least in how to act in public. I am so greatful for that part of my up bringing. My parents were envolved in what we were to become. We learned it wouldn't come by accident, but by being taught how to conduct ourselves in "public". I was one who knew how to throw a great tantrum at home, but believe me I knew better than do any such action while we were out as a family.
When the boys were teen agers Dad thought they should learn about other types of theatre. We had attended the Follies from France. So nudity was nothing new to any of us. We knew how to see it as an art form, and not make light of it. In fact, I thought the Follies was one of the most lovely shows we ever attended. Of course I was a ballet dancer myself, that may have colored my opinion somewhat, even at the age of 8. One Friday evening Mom and I went to a show in town and Dad took the boys to the Burlesque in Los Angeles. I don't think anyone then would have appreciated that, but it was Dads way of helping the boys learn what was class and what was not. When I was 13 he and Mom took me to the same Burlesque theatre and I was far from shocked. I was more interested in how they could do the things they did. Burlesque was not all that filled with talent, or at least not compared to the other things we had seen. The Vaudeville acts were the best. I loved the comics with their baggy pants and silly jokes. The costumes and most of the performers didn't appear to be all that clean, even from where I sat.
As shocking as this may sound, and I only give it here to show you just how great my parents cared about what we learned, and how we learned it. I will tell you how WE got OUR sex education. When the boys were of an age to know certain things, Dad took them aside and went through all the truth about "the birds and bees" as it were. Any questions were asked and answered with straight forward answers. Then Mother took them aside and explained about the girls part of life. If they needed to ask questions, they were allowed to do so at any time following these two sessions with their own parents. Yes, when I got old enough to know about or wonder about such things, Dad took me aside and explained to me, just as he had to the boys, and Mother took me aside and went through everything I needed to know. I don't think either the boys or I ever made light of anything sexual following those enlightening discussions. My brothers were always sensitive to their dates at all times, and I learned that boys will be boys, and girls need to set the standard for their relationships with them. I think some of the boys who would have liked to have dated me were ruled out long before I got to dating age because of their attitude and actions towards other girls. I guess it is true, the sooner you learn to make proper dicisions the better off you are. I don't believe I ever thanked my parents for that, but I do owe a great debt to them for being far ahead of their time.
Learning early in life how to act and how to conduct yourself in public is important, and a thing I believe most parents today neglect. I don't know the reason for that, but I believe they would do well to take a page from Mom and Dad in how to help children learn simple rules of conduct when leaving home and presenting oneself in public. Polite and well behaved children are an asset in any family, as well as to themselves.
My children were always taught "house rules". One very important one was, we don't jump on the beds. Obvious the reason. Beds are expensive and break down when they are abused. We didn't touch things we knew might break, or were not ours to handle. When we were asked to do something we did not argue, we did it, because if we waited, something might just occur that would be far more work than completing the task asked to be done. We didn't jump on the living room furniture either. It was for sitting on. Now when they would go to someone elses house, they could follow the "house rules" of where ever they were. None of the things were to be brought back home with them, if they would not fit into our "rules".
Friends were to bring the best out in us. If acquaintances did things that were not part of our life, they should not be concidered friends. They might lead us away from the things we had been taught and get us into trouble. Making good choices in friends was of paramount concideration in our home. I don't say this was always followed, but in the long run the truth of that teaching has been born out. Sometimes well down lifes path, when facts were born out the warning was a wise one.
My Dad told us when were old enough to go out on our own: "once you go through that door I know and you know that you have been taught right from wrong. If you decide to do something that varies from what you have been taught, and you get into trouble, don't expect your Mother or I to come and bale you out. You got yourself into the trouble, you best be able to get yourself out." We knew he ment it, and that was all it took. We were to stand on our own feet with the knowledge that had been planted well into our make up. I can't remember getting into anything outside the home that I needed my parents assistance with. When you are "taught correct principles, you know how to govern yourself". Joseph Smith, JR. said that way before my Dad
taught it to me, but the truth is there. You have to remember by Dad was not LDS.
I too had: "goodly parents" who taught me well, and gave me opportunities to develope good social skills that have served me well all the days of my life.
Written this 9th day of May 2009
Eileen Rosenberg
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
I Made Hats
Now I know that may not sound all that exciting, but when I was a girl, Hats were a big thing!
Moving to California from the East, we were use to seeing ladies wearing a hat and gloves if she went out. There were no nylons back then, and women would not have thought to go bear legged. Oh, and jeans or slacks were never concidered proper dress for "ladies". In fact when Aunt Clara moved to California in around 1945, she was shocked to see me in slacks. They were just becoming common place wear at that time. Not that I hadn't had slacks before. I remember the folks bought me a pair of red wool slacks when my leg was broke. That would have been about 1937.
It was common to have Hat Shops in town, and every "Big Store" had a Hat Department. I loved hats. They were expensive. I believe hat forms were one of the first Craft Projects. Of course no decent Hat would have been caught without a veil, so there was a nice variety of veils as well as hat forms. I would buy a form, some flowers or other decorations and some veiling and I was off to the races. Now this was before glue guns as well. A needle and thread were the tools used to create a hat. I remember I was so good at it, I sold a number of the creations I put together.
Gloves had pretty well gone out by then. I think it was mainly because too many were lost and who could get by with only one glove from a pair? A lady was never seen without a matching handbag to go with her shoes. Every Shoe Store in town carried both Shoes and Bags. I remember going to town and window shopping in a number of Shoe Stores. The town usually had bout 4 or 5. The competition was pretty brisk. Styles were usually common, but it was the material and the colors that were offered that got the cumstomers through the doors. This was the time when Saddle Oxfords and the Penny Loafers were popular. Most every girl had Saddle Oxfords. They were either Brown on White or Black on White once in awhile you could find Navy Blue on White. Then there were the Spectator Pumps, which were High Heels with the same combinations. Every Spring the Ladies would haul out their Spectator Pumps and their dress clothes and make quite a fashion statement.
Dresses were longer back then. Nice Ladies didn't show their knees. Cotton dresses were worn during the day, they were called "house dresses". "Sunday-go-to-meeting" clothes were
reserved for special occasions and Church on Sunday. Men wore "work clothes" Kids wore "school clothes" and everyone had a pair of everyday shoes and "dress shoes" which were only wore on special occasions and Sunday for Church attendance.
It wasn't until we went to High School that we had Tennis Shoes and they were only worn for our PE class along with shorts and blouses that were embroidered with our names. We had to have them cleaned at least every other week. We had a locker in the Gym where these were kept. My High School had a swimming pool, but we didn't have to furnish a swim suit. The school had them, and they were awful. No style, but they covered us. We were issued towels and suits when we had to have swimming. We were only excused from "dressing" when we were ill. No other excuse for changing into your "Gym Clothes" would be accepted.
I didn't think much of it back then, but I am greatful we had a dress code. I suppose it was more because of the "depression". No one had a lot of money back then to have too many changes of clothes. I remember how it was special to be able to buy new Gym Clothes rather than get some used things left by the Seniors from the year before. Some of them were not all that great, and fit was sometimes a problem. They were required, so we did what we had to do.
I think the boys were much better off than the girls in that department. The biggest expense was if the boys needed special shoes for their sports. I know Ronald always had to have Basketball shoes. He had such a narrow foot they were ordered special and were expensive. The folks always seemed to be able to budget for them. Ralph was the swimmer, so he was not in need of anything special. His stuff always was furnished as I recall.
I notice that some hats are coming into fashion again. They are really expensive and not worn by the general female population. Times change, as do styles, but I have to admit, it would be nice to see the female population take just a bit more pride in their looks when they leave the house. Shoes seem to have gone out of style for a great many people. Men as well as women have taken the flip-flop as a regular footwear these days. So many younger girls are wearing shoes that have no support and heels that may make them feel grown up, but will cause more problems for them as they get older. I remember the Podiatrist telling me when I was about 12 to change my shoes from day to day and make sure all my shoes fit properly and supported my feet. If I would do that, as I grew older, I wouldn't develope foot problems or have female problems. That was good advice then, and still good advice now.
Written the 6th day of May 2009
by: Eileen Rosenberg
Moving to California from the East, we were use to seeing ladies wearing a hat and gloves if she went out. There were no nylons back then, and women would not have thought to go bear legged. Oh, and jeans or slacks were never concidered proper dress for "ladies". In fact when Aunt Clara moved to California in around 1945, she was shocked to see me in slacks. They were just becoming common place wear at that time. Not that I hadn't had slacks before. I remember the folks bought me a pair of red wool slacks when my leg was broke. That would have been about 1937.
It was common to have Hat Shops in town, and every "Big Store" had a Hat Department. I loved hats. They were expensive. I believe hat forms were one of the first Craft Projects. Of course no decent Hat would have been caught without a veil, so there was a nice variety of veils as well as hat forms. I would buy a form, some flowers or other decorations and some veiling and I was off to the races. Now this was before glue guns as well. A needle and thread were the tools used to create a hat. I remember I was so good at it, I sold a number of the creations I put together.
Gloves had pretty well gone out by then. I think it was mainly because too many were lost and who could get by with only one glove from a pair? A lady was never seen without a matching handbag to go with her shoes. Every Shoe Store in town carried both Shoes and Bags. I remember going to town and window shopping in a number of Shoe Stores. The town usually had bout 4 or 5. The competition was pretty brisk. Styles were usually common, but it was the material and the colors that were offered that got the cumstomers through the doors. This was the time when Saddle Oxfords and the Penny Loafers were popular. Most every girl had Saddle Oxfords. They were either Brown on White or Black on White once in awhile you could find Navy Blue on White. Then there were the Spectator Pumps, which were High Heels with the same combinations. Every Spring the Ladies would haul out their Spectator Pumps and their dress clothes and make quite a fashion statement.
Dresses were longer back then. Nice Ladies didn't show their knees. Cotton dresses were worn during the day, they were called "house dresses". "Sunday-go-to-meeting" clothes were
reserved for special occasions and Church on Sunday. Men wore "work clothes" Kids wore "school clothes" and everyone had a pair of everyday shoes and "dress shoes" which were only wore on special occasions and Sunday for Church attendance.
It wasn't until we went to High School that we had Tennis Shoes and they were only worn for our PE class along with shorts and blouses that were embroidered with our names. We had to have them cleaned at least every other week. We had a locker in the Gym where these were kept. My High School had a swimming pool, but we didn't have to furnish a swim suit. The school had them, and they were awful. No style, but they covered us. We were issued towels and suits when we had to have swimming. We were only excused from "dressing" when we were ill. No other excuse for changing into your "Gym Clothes" would be accepted.
I didn't think much of it back then, but I am greatful we had a dress code. I suppose it was more because of the "depression". No one had a lot of money back then to have too many changes of clothes. I remember how it was special to be able to buy new Gym Clothes rather than get some used things left by the Seniors from the year before. Some of them were not all that great, and fit was sometimes a problem. They were required, so we did what we had to do.
I think the boys were much better off than the girls in that department. The biggest expense was if the boys needed special shoes for their sports. I know Ronald always had to have Basketball shoes. He had such a narrow foot they were ordered special and were expensive. The folks always seemed to be able to budget for them. Ralph was the swimmer, so he was not in need of anything special. His stuff always was furnished as I recall.
I notice that some hats are coming into fashion again. They are really expensive and not worn by the general female population. Times change, as do styles, but I have to admit, it would be nice to see the female population take just a bit more pride in their looks when they leave the house. Shoes seem to have gone out of style for a great many people. Men as well as women have taken the flip-flop as a regular footwear these days. So many younger girls are wearing shoes that have no support and heels that may make them feel grown up, but will cause more problems for them as they get older. I remember the Podiatrist telling me when I was about 12 to change my shoes from day to day and make sure all my shoes fit properly and supported my feet. If I would do that, as I grew older, I wouldn't develope foot problems or have female problems. That was good advice then, and still good advice now.
Written the 6th day of May 2009
by: Eileen Rosenberg
About Our Front Yard
I was out cutting roses this A.M. and thought about all the work and time Jay had put into the way it looks. It was quite an engineering fete in itself. He had to lay out a drainage system from the back to the front. Then he worked out the watering system that is most extensive, but is not being used. It sure would make things a lot easier if it was working!
Jay had worked in Orange County delivering Cement for projects and building on some pretty expensive homes. He had taken quite a few pictures of some of the homes with yards he particularly liked. It was from these pictures he was able to formulate what he wanted our Yard to look like. I must here state that our first deposit was made on the land across the street on the corner. We found out however that someone had already beat us to that piece of property, so we settled for the one we have, which I believe was the better choice anyway.
As usual Jay had made many friends in town and on the construction job, so he was able to have
fill dirt brought. The fella that was doing the moving of yardage from one lot to another promised Jay he would deliver good top soil to him when he had the landscape about where he was ready to finish his block work. It was not an easy task to get the rounded sides to the raised flower beds he was making. He terraced off the yard. He had to figure how to put the steps up the front as well as how high he wanted the last tier to be. There were sidewalks to be laid, and of course Jay was so thorough he wanted the yard to have a curbing around the lawn beds so they were easier to edge.
I think the fence was his biggest challenge, and unfortunately he never quite got the job finished because he couldn't decide on how to fill the spaces between his pillars. He was careful to set the fence in between the lot next to us so that all his work is setting within our property lines.
Once he was finished with the block work Greg came up and helped Jay color coat the blocks to match the house. The project turned out great. We wanted a flag pole in the round bed, so Jay again had to decided just how to go about that. We had planted a tree out there, but it did not like the soil, so we moved it to the back yard. It was a dwaft Japanese Mapel. Lovely tree and
we were happy to save it. Next we planted a Cecil Brunner Rose in the area only to find out it
was a climber and not a bush, so that too had to be moved. Finally Jay decided the flag pole should be there after all. The bareroot for the Cecil Brunner wouldn't be messed with. It has come up around the flag pole and is a constant problem, but I keep it trimmed back, and it is
nice enough, I guess.
Once Jay got the sod in and things going, he had designed the sidewalks to match the brick work he had made on the tiers. Which gave a nice appearance. We started buying up roses and planting. The first year things were great, but by the second year we were bothered by gophers and they killed about 6 of our roses. After careful planning and trap setting Jay got the little pest and buried him the hole so it would discourage another intruder. The next roses were planted in wire baskets to keep any further trouble from happening. They were a nusence until they rusted out. All in all we put about 100 roses in the yard. Not all of them have survived the time we have been here, but the yard is really beautiful when spring comes. The yard has been of benefit to a number of Wedding Receptions. Many of the neighbors have had a bouquet or two as well. They are welcome to take all they like, just cut them, don't break them off.
We set higher than most of our neighbors, so it really is a "rosey hill". I believe this lot will be a lasting memorial to the talent Jay had, and the time he put into the job. I know I will long remember the time we spent working on this project. I moved a lot of blocks. Some were put where Jay could reach them by my hands. Others we put in the wheel barrow and moved to where he was working. I helped by mixing a number of mortar batches while he laid out his lines and prepared to lay another row of block, or brick. I marveled then, as I remember now the long hours he put in after working a regular work day. He was never too tired to get a little done each night while the weather was good.
Written this 6th day of May 2009
by: Eileen Rosenberg
Jay had worked in Orange County delivering Cement for projects and building on some pretty expensive homes. He had taken quite a few pictures of some of the homes with yards he particularly liked. It was from these pictures he was able to formulate what he wanted our Yard to look like. I must here state that our first deposit was made on the land across the street on the corner. We found out however that someone had already beat us to that piece of property, so we settled for the one we have, which I believe was the better choice anyway.
As usual Jay had made many friends in town and on the construction job, so he was able to have
fill dirt brought. The fella that was doing the moving of yardage from one lot to another promised Jay he would deliver good top soil to him when he had the landscape about where he was ready to finish his block work. It was not an easy task to get the rounded sides to the raised flower beds he was making. He terraced off the yard. He had to figure how to put the steps up the front as well as how high he wanted the last tier to be. There were sidewalks to be laid, and of course Jay was so thorough he wanted the yard to have a curbing around the lawn beds so they were easier to edge.
I think the fence was his biggest challenge, and unfortunately he never quite got the job finished because he couldn't decide on how to fill the spaces between his pillars. He was careful to set the fence in between the lot next to us so that all his work is setting within our property lines.
Once he was finished with the block work Greg came up and helped Jay color coat the blocks to match the house. The project turned out great. We wanted a flag pole in the round bed, so Jay again had to decided just how to go about that. We had planted a tree out there, but it did not like the soil, so we moved it to the back yard. It was a dwaft Japanese Mapel. Lovely tree and
we were happy to save it. Next we planted a Cecil Brunner Rose in the area only to find out it
was a climber and not a bush, so that too had to be moved. Finally Jay decided the flag pole should be there after all. The bareroot for the Cecil Brunner wouldn't be messed with. It has come up around the flag pole and is a constant problem, but I keep it trimmed back, and it is
nice enough, I guess.
Once Jay got the sod in and things going, he had designed the sidewalks to match the brick work he had made on the tiers. Which gave a nice appearance. We started buying up roses and planting. The first year things were great, but by the second year we were bothered by gophers and they killed about 6 of our roses. After careful planning and trap setting Jay got the little pest and buried him the hole so it would discourage another intruder. The next roses were planted in wire baskets to keep any further trouble from happening. They were a nusence until they rusted out. All in all we put about 100 roses in the yard. Not all of them have survived the time we have been here, but the yard is really beautiful when spring comes. The yard has been of benefit to a number of Wedding Receptions. Many of the neighbors have had a bouquet or two as well. They are welcome to take all they like, just cut them, don't break them off.
We set higher than most of our neighbors, so it really is a "rosey hill". I believe this lot will be a lasting memorial to the talent Jay had, and the time he put into the job. I know I will long remember the time we spent working on this project. I moved a lot of blocks. Some were put where Jay could reach them by my hands. Others we put in the wheel barrow and moved to where he was working. I helped by mixing a number of mortar batches while he laid out his lines and prepared to lay another row of block, or brick. I marveled then, as I remember now the long hours he put in after working a regular work day. He was never too tired to get a little done each night while the weather was good.
Written this 6th day of May 2009
by: Eileen Rosenberg
Monday, May 4, 2009
Anaheim and Disney Land as a Neighbor
We hadn't been in Anaheim long when Dawn decided she wouldn't stay in Taft after all. She was giving up a very good job, but that didn't seem to bother her. She went to Voit Agency and found a good job with Bectel as a Secretary. Her work place wasn't far from the house so it worked out very well for her.
It was the move into Anaheim that I wanted to tell you about - it was crazy. As I said, we thought Dawn was going to stay in Taft, so we hadn't move much into the Anaheim house. We were waiting for it to clear escrow and then we would move our things down. All we had was a small ice chest to keep things in, and two camp cots for sleeping. Dawn had come down to help get things ready in the new house. We had gone to dinner and returned to the house quite late. We were tired and with nothing really in the house, we went straight to bed. Now in all the time
we had looked at the house and after buying it, we were not at all aware of the closeness of Disney Land. We had purchased the house in the summer time. Dawn had just graduated, as I told you. When we went to bed it was probably about 8 o'clock. We were asleep when all of a sudden it sounded like the Third World War had started in our yard. We both jumped up and were stumbling around in the dark in fright. You guessed it, the Fire Works at Disney Land were going off. We could see them from the front yard. Disney Land was within walking distance of our new home. Oh, we got use to the noise. We didn't go to bed until after 9 after that.
When we made the move, we decided it was time to get new furniture. All we kept was the bedroom furniture and Jays Lazy Boy. Shopping for new carpets and furniture were the order of business. First came the carpet. We had it laid and then shopped for furniture for the living room. Dawn helped us pick it out. The end result, we went French Provincial. We got lamps at the Orange County Swap Meet one Saturday. I don't think we realized what a chore it would be to carry something that heavy that far to the car, but we didn't make that mistake again. We added a couple more chairs and felt we had things pretty well under control.
I wasn't in the Anaheim Ward long when I was called to teach Seminary. I had taught one year
in Kearn County, and felt pretty capable as it was Church History that year, and I had spent the better part of 17 years in deep study of the subject. I however had not spent that time in the scriptures. So with the teachers manual, I learned how the Doctrine and Covenants fit into what I had learned. I enjoyed teaching. When the Stake President interviewed me he said his one
request was that I agree to teach for 4 years. The Students had a right to know who they would be having from year to year. I would start teaching the Freshman. Now this was a pretty good sized Stake. It had three High Schools within the boundries, so there was a good bit of rivalry that had to be dealt with. For some hair brain moment, I agreed, and accepted the call. It was not until I reached my car I realized I had not spend time in the scriptures and would have no idea what I was doing. I nearly passed out. It was there and then I dedicated myself to begin doing my scripture study. Better late than never!
Again I was blessed. The subject was Church History and the Doctrine and Covenants. I believe
I learned a great deal that year. Enough so that I found at the end of the year, I had the job of getting better acquainted with the Book of Mormon. As teachers we were given our materials in June and that gave me all summer to get a head start. I loved the challenge. By the time the new semester started I had read the book through once. I promised the students if they would meet me by reading the book once during the year, I would read it another 9 times for the count of 10 times. They took me on. They read along with the class and made it through one full time. I found at the end of the year, with diligents, I had read it 13 times. I found the greatest thrill was to read the last verse of Moroni and then start with; "I Nephi, being born of goodly parents". I like Sister Stout learned then, each time I read it so much more had been added. Or like President Grant taught: "not that the subject changes, but ability grows." I have marked up so many volumes that if they were all joined together I suspect that every verse would be colored in or underlines with notes along the margin of something I had learned. What a great experience.
Over the years that I taught, 17 in all, I have learned the greatest thing to teach is the Old Testament. It and the Book of Mormon have been my most taught scriptures. Doctrine and Covenants and New Testament the least, but not one wit less interesting or worthwhile. I was asked to teach Institute, which I did for 5 more years. That pressed me into the Pearl of Great Price and greatfully into The Lectures on Faith. I am so greatful for the time I have spent learning so that I could teach with understanding. Love of the Scriptures should be one of the things we all develope in our life time. Time well spent!
Paul came to live with us again following Dawns marriage to Gregory Slane. His marriage to Jan had ended in divorce. He worked for awhile in Orange County and then returned to Bakersfield to work as a Glaser. During the time we were in Anaheim he married two more times. He was not to find a lasting relationship in either of these marriage either.
Jay continue to work in Orange County, but found at times it was necessary for him to take the truck further to find long term employment. One of these was in Helendale, CA. A small place in the desert where he again joined with Mac McCann in sharing an appartment. It was a miserable place, but the work was steady and the company friendly. When possible I would go out and spend a week-end with him. I don't think I was ever as cold as I was in that apartment.
I have no idea how those two men handled it. There was only one place to eat, and I don't believe it was the best. I guess you do with what you have. That tour lasted for 6 months. He
was called out there a couple times more, after that, but it wasn't for long either times.
We lived in Anaheim for 8 years. Jay had some interesting jobs during that time. He was called to be a Clerk in the Ward we lived in and this became his re-entry as it were into activity in the Church. It was during this time that his Mother Itha Zimmer had a stroke and was hospitalized
until she passed away. She was in Yuma, Arizona so it ment we made a number of week-end trips to visit her. A couple of times LaMar and Ruby, Jays brother and wife went with us. When she passed away we had her body returned to California and she is buried in our family property at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA. More of that later.
One winter the weather was horrible. It rained for the better part of 30 days. Which ment that Jay was out of work. It was during this time that we found the "As Is" at Sears in Santa Ana, CA. We continued to haunt the place at least a couple of times each week. The furniture that came in had to have some repair work done to it. Just what Jay needed to keep him busy. As
it turned out, Dawn and Greg had bought a new home on Lobos in Atascadero. There family
had grown and they needed furniture for Kearas new bedroom. A lot of white and gold French Provincal bedroom furniture came in. Jay picked over the best and bought it for such a rediculous price that he was thrilled to fix it up and have it ready for Keara. Then he found a dining room table that really needed some work. He put his heart and soul into fixing it and in the doing found chairs to match that he fixed as well. Then a small chest of drawers came in that matached that he put the drawers back together and made a side board for the new dining room. There was a hutch bottom and top that came in and when they were repaired looked great and made the set complete. I can't remember in total just what all he worked on, but the finished product of each purchase was outstanding. He found a beautiful hutch that would work in our home, along with a table and chairs. The table was a Duncan Fife. Unfortunately the chairs were not a match, but they have worked well for over 25 years now. The hutch had a corner broken off. He was questioning how it could be salvaged when another gleaner who looked at it told him he could cut the break off on a diaginal and then do the same on the other side. It worked perfectly and I have loved it. The top part was not that bad, so we ended up with a great buy, and a show of Jays handi work as well. I cannot tell you how much money he spent, or just how much his purchases saved, but he had a successful down time, and it was great therapy for him as well. He always took such pride in what he did, I wish some of that handiwork was still around to share with the younger generation coming up. It would be a great chance for them to see what their Great Grandfather was able to do.
Well as always, time passes, and we were in the throws of retirement. Jay had arthritis so bad that lifting the heavy shoots on the truck and wading in all the water was becoming too damaging. He decided to sell the truck and retire. I wasn't sure what he would do, but he needed to get out of the business.
While I was up with Dawn when she had her fourth and last child, I heard of a new developement in Paso Robles that interested me. I drove up one day and looked it over. I was impressed enough to go back home and talk to Jay about it. He wasn't interested in making a change. Selling and buying with another move did not "turn him on". We had a number of heated discussions on the matter and I was pretty set that we not stay in Anaheim, but move closer to our Grand Children. They would grow fast enough and we wouldn't have a chance to enjoy the things that would make up their lives. My only concern was that we not live in the boundries of the same Ward. That way the children and grandchildren would not have us looking down their necks, as it were. The end result was, Jay went with me to look at the property and with his usual careful way, he sat down and figured out what we would have to do to make the move. He was always like that. Never bought anything, or made a move without figuring all the angels so to speak.
When he finally decided the move was a good idea, he called a Realtor who was quick to tell us that nothing in our area had sold for 6 months. She asked Jay what he wanted for the house and when he told her she just laughed and said he would never get that much for a house in "this area". Jay said he would either get that amount or he would not sell. She said she would put it on the market for us, but had little or no hope of selling it. Jay said he would need about 2 months to paint and fix the place up. So she could put it on the Market in April.
He painted the outside of the house. I guess I should tell you that he had taken the sliding glass door out of the kitchen and replaced it with the regular window from the back bedroom. He had opened the wall in the back bedroom and installed the sliding glass door from the kitchen. He then took the air conditioner out of the wall in the kitchen and cut it down for a regular size door.
The house had a covered patio around the side and back of the house. It was attached to the
garage wall which led into the wash room. Making it great in any kind of weather for doing the laundry. Outside the back bedroom he then made walls for a cabana room. It was very nice.
We had planned on placing a elongated window on the other outside wall, but never got around to that. Jay had remodeled the kitchen a couple of years earlier and put new cabinets in and replaced the old appliances that were avacado green. With a new floor and electrical that was
put in for a Microwave (which were pretty new at the time) it was a knock out of a kitchen. Not at all like what it had been in the beginning.
The papers were signed and the house was to go on the market at Jays asking price. The Realtor was to come by an put up the sign. She called and said she had been held up by getting her Income Taxes ready for filing on the 15th so she would be by in the A.M. to put it up and the Open House would be that day - the 15th. As both of us would be at work, that was fine with us.
When we got home that evening, there were some cars still there. We lived in a Culdesac. The
Realtor came over to us and asked us if we could go to dinner, there was another Realton that had some people he wanted to show the house to. We agreed and after changing went out for the evening. We returned home, everyone was gone. We had hardly entered the house when the phone rang - no knock at the door this time - the Realtor was on the other end and said the other Realtor would like to talk to us. He couldn't be there until 9 would that be O.K. We said it would. When he came in, he quickly told us that he would not concider one of the houses in this tract because he had watched them being built and thought the kitchens were awful. When he came in and saw what Jay had done, he was impressed. He explained the house was in such great shape he could not find one thing wrong with it. He therefore wanted to make an offer with one stipulation. We would have to take the property off the market for 24 hours and then re list it for $1,000.00 more than we were asking because he wanted to use another lending firm and it would cost that much more to finance the property, which he was willing to pay. He was
buying the house for his Daughter and her Husband.
Once again the hand of the Lord was apparent. How else could we have sold so quickly. I went to Church that Sunday and told one of the other Seminary Teachers what had happened and said quite candidly that I wondered what this move had in store for me. I was amazed when he replied: "this one isn't for you Eileen it is for Jay". I knew him to be a very sincere person and one with discernment. He was so right.
We had to move into an apartment on Olive St. until our house was built. It had two bedrooms and we were able to store our furniture in the large living room and that extra bedroom. There was a small storage shed in back which held our washer and dryer. Worked out very well. It was during this time Jay spent his days down at the property on Laurel Road helping Greg build the house they now live in. At night we would visit our property to keep and eye on what was going on there, but that is another tale in itself.
We moved to Paso Robles in June 1985. Mother had passed away in August of 1984 so we had
no reason to stay south. I will tell you more about our adventure in building here in Paso Robles in another "Rambling Rose." Until then -
Written this 4th day of May, 2009
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
It was the move into Anaheim that I wanted to tell you about - it was crazy. As I said, we thought Dawn was going to stay in Taft, so we hadn't move much into the Anaheim house. We were waiting for it to clear escrow and then we would move our things down. All we had was a small ice chest to keep things in, and two camp cots for sleeping. Dawn had come down to help get things ready in the new house. We had gone to dinner and returned to the house quite late. We were tired and with nothing really in the house, we went straight to bed. Now in all the time
we had looked at the house and after buying it, we were not at all aware of the closeness of Disney Land. We had purchased the house in the summer time. Dawn had just graduated, as I told you. When we went to bed it was probably about 8 o'clock. We were asleep when all of a sudden it sounded like the Third World War had started in our yard. We both jumped up and were stumbling around in the dark in fright. You guessed it, the Fire Works at Disney Land were going off. We could see them from the front yard. Disney Land was within walking distance of our new home. Oh, we got use to the noise. We didn't go to bed until after 9 after that.
When we made the move, we decided it was time to get new furniture. All we kept was the bedroom furniture and Jays Lazy Boy. Shopping for new carpets and furniture were the order of business. First came the carpet. We had it laid and then shopped for furniture for the living room. Dawn helped us pick it out. The end result, we went French Provincial. We got lamps at the Orange County Swap Meet one Saturday. I don't think we realized what a chore it would be to carry something that heavy that far to the car, but we didn't make that mistake again. We added a couple more chairs and felt we had things pretty well under control.
I wasn't in the Anaheim Ward long when I was called to teach Seminary. I had taught one year
in Kearn County, and felt pretty capable as it was Church History that year, and I had spent the better part of 17 years in deep study of the subject. I however had not spent that time in the scriptures. So with the teachers manual, I learned how the Doctrine and Covenants fit into what I had learned. I enjoyed teaching. When the Stake President interviewed me he said his one
request was that I agree to teach for 4 years. The Students had a right to know who they would be having from year to year. I would start teaching the Freshman. Now this was a pretty good sized Stake. It had three High Schools within the boundries, so there was a good bit of rivalry that had to be dealt with. For some hair brain moment, I agreed, and accepted the call. It was not until I reached my car I realized I had not spend time in the scriptures and would have no idea what I was doing. I nearly passed out. It was there and then I dedicated myself to begin doing my scripture study. Better late than never!
Again I was blessed. The subject was Church History and the Doctrine and Covenants. I believe
I learned a great deal that year. Enough so that I found at the end of the year, I had the job of getting better acquainted with the Book of Mormon. As teachers we were given our materials in June and that gave me all summer to get a head start. I loved the challenge. By the time the new semester started I had read the book through once. I promised the students if they would meet me by reading the book once during the year, I would read it another 9 times for the count of 10 times. They took me on. They read along with the class and made it through one full time. I found at the end of the year, with diligents, I had read it 13 times. I found the greatest thrill was to read the last verse of Moroni and then start with; "I Nephi, being born of goodly parents". I like Sister Stout learned then, each time I read it so much more had been added. Or like President Grant taught: "not that the subject changes, but ability grows." I have marked up so many volumes that if they were all joined together I suspect that every verse would be colored in or underlines with notes along the margin of something I had learned. What a great experience.
Over the years that I taught, 17 in all, I have learned the greatest thing to teach is the Old Testament. It and the Book of Mormon have been my most taught scriptures. Doctrine and Covenants and New Testament the least, but not one wit less interesting or worthwhile. I was asked to teach Institute, which I did for 5 more years. That pressed me into the Pearl of Great Price and greatfully into The Lectures on Faith. I am so greatful for the time I have spent learning so that I could teach with understanding. Love of the Scriptures should be one of the things we all develope in our life time. Time well spent!
Paul came to live with us again following Dawns marriage to Gregory Slane. His marriage to Jan had ended in divorce. He worked for awhile in Orange County and then returned to Bakersfield to work as a Glaser. During the time we were in Anaheim he married two more times. He was not to find a lasting relationship in either of these marriage either.
Jay continue to work in Orange County, but found at times it was necessary for him to take the truck further to find long term employment. One of these was in Helendale, CA. A small place in the desert where he again joined with Mac McCann in sharing an appartment. It was a miserable place, but the work was steady and the company friendly. When possible I would go out and spend a week-end with him. I don't think I was ever as cold as I was in that apartment.
I have no idea how those two men handled it. There was only one place to eat, and I don't believe it was the best. I guess you do with what you have. That tour lasted for 6 months. He
was called out there a couple times more, after that, but it wasn't for long either times.
We lived in Anaheim for 8 years. Jay had some interesting jobs during that time. He was called to be a Clerk in the Ward we lived in and this became his re-entry as it were into activity in the Church. It was during this time that his Mother Itha Zimmer had a stroke and was hospitalized
until she passed away. She was in Yuma, Arizona so it ment we made a number of week-end trips to visit her. A couple of times LaMar and Ruby, Jays brother and wife went with us. When she passed away we had her body returned to California and she is buried in our family property at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA. More of that later.
One winter the weather was horrible. It rained for the better part of 30 days. Which ment that Jay was out of work. It was during this time that we found the "As Is" at Sears in Santa Ana, CA. We continued to haunt the place at least a couple of times each week. The furniture that came in had to have some repair work done to it. Just what Jay needed to keep him busy. As
it turned out, Dawn and Greg had bought a new home on Lobos in Atascadero. There family
had grown and they needed furniture for Kearas new bedroom. A lot of white and gold French Provincal bedroom furniture came in. Jay picked over the best and bought it for such a rediculous price that he was thrilled to fix it up and have it ready for Keara. Then he found a dining room table that really needed some work. He put his heart and soul into fixing it and in the doing found chairs to match that he fixed as well. Then a small chest of drawers came in that matached that he put the drawers back together and made a side board for the new dining room. There was a hutch bottom and top that came in and when they were repaired looked great and made the set complete. I can't remember in total just what all he worked on, but the finished product of each purchase was outstanding. He found a beautiful hutch that would work in our home, along with a table and chairs. The table was a Duncan Fife. Unfortunately the chairs were not a match, but they have worked well for over 25 years now. The hutch had a corner broken off. He was questioning how it could be salvaged when another gleaner who looked at it told him he could cut the break off on a diaginal and then do the same on the other side. It worked perfectly and I have loved it. The top part was not that bad, so we ended up with a great buy, and a show of Jays handi work as well. I cannot tell you how much money he spent, or just how much his purchases saved, but he had a successful down time, and it was great therapy for him as well. He always took such pride in what he did, I wish some of that handiwork was still around to share with the younger generation coming up. It would be a great chance for them to see what their Great Grandfather was able to do.
Well as always, time passes, and we were in the throws of retirement. Jay had arthritis so bad that lifting the heavy shoots on the truck and wading in all the water was becoming too damaging. He decided to sell the truck and retire. I wasn't sure what he would do, but he needed to get out of the business.
While I was up with Dawn when she had her fourth and last child, I heard of a new developement in Paso Robles that interested me. I drove up one day and looked it over. I was impressed enough to go back home and talk to Jay about it. He wasn't interested in making a change. Selling and buying with another move did not "turn him on". We had a number of heated discussions on the matter and I was pretty set that we not stay in Anaheim, but move closer to our Grand Children. They would grow fast enough and we wouldn't have a chance to enjoy the things that would make up their lives. My only concern was that we not live in the boundries of the same Ward. That way the children and grandchildren would not have us looking down their necks, as it were. The end result was, Jay went with me to look at the property and with his usual careful way, he sat down and figured out what we would have to do to make the move. He was always like that. Never bought anything, or made a move without figuring all the angels so to speak.
When he finally decided the move was a good idea, he called a Realtor who was quick to tell us that nothing in our area had sold for 6 months. She asked Jay what he wanted for the house and when he told her she just laughed and said he would never get that much for a house in "this area". Jay said he would either get that amount or he would not sell. She said she would put it on the market for us, but had little or no hope of selling it. Jay said he would need about 2 months to paint and fix the place up. So she could put it on the Market in April.
He painted the outside of the house. I guess I should tell you that he had taken the sliding glass door out of the kitchen and replaced it with the regular window from the back bedroom. He had opened the wall in the back bedroom and installed the sliding glass door from the kitchen. He then took the air conditioner out of the wall in the kitchen and cut it down for a regular size door.
The house had a covered patio around the side and back of the house. It was attached to the
garage wall which led into the wash room. Making it great in any kind of weather for doing the laundry. Outside the back bedroom he then made walls for a cabana room. It was very nice.
We had planned on placing a elongated window on the other outside wall, but never got around to that. Jay had remodeled the kitchen a couple of years earlier and put new cabinets in and replaced the old appliances that were avacado green. With a new floor and electrical that was
put in for a Microwave (which were pretty new at the time) it was a knock out of a kitchen. Not at all like what it had been in the beginning.
The papers were signed and the house was to go on the market at Jays asking price. The Realtor was to come by an put up the sign. She called and said she had been held up by getting her Income Taxes ready for filing on the 15th so she would be by in the A.M. to put it up and the Open House would be that day - the 15th. As both of us would be at work, that was fine with us.
When we got home that evening, there were some cars still there. We lived in a Culdesac. The
Realtor came over to us and asked us if we could go to dinner, there was another Realton that had some people he wanted to show the house to. We agreed and after changing went out for the evening. We returned home, everyone was gone. We had hardly entered the house when the phone rang - no knock at the door this time - the Realtor was on the other end and said the other Realtor would like to talk to us. He couldn't be there until 9 would that be O.K. We said it would. When he came in, he quickly told us that he would not concider one of the houses in this tract because he had watched them being built and thought the kitchens were awful. When he came in and saw what Jay had done, he was impressed. He explained the house was in such great shape he could not find one thing wrong with it. He therefore wanted to make an offer with one stipulation. We would have to take the property off the market for 24 hours and then re list it for $1,000.00 more than we were asking because he wanted to use another lending firm and it would cost that much more to finance the property, which he was willing to pay. He was
buying the house for his Daughter and her Husband.
Once again the hand of the Lord was apparent. How else could we have sold so quickly. I went to Church that Sunday and told one of the other Seminary Teachers what had happened and said quite candidly that I wondered what this move had in store for me. I was amazed when he replied: "this one isn't for you Eileen it is for Jay". I knew him to be a very sincere person and one with discernment. He was so right.
We had to move into an apartment on Olive St. until our house was built. It had two bedrooms and we were able to store our furniture in the large living room and that extra bedroom. There was a small storage shed in back which held our washer and dryer. Worked out very well. It was during this time Jay spent his days down at the property on Laurel Road helping Greg build the house they now live in. At night we would visit our property to keep and eye on what was going on there, but that is another tale in itself.
We moved to Paso Robles in June 1985. Mother had passed away in August of 1984 so we had
no reason to stay south. I will tell you more about our adventure in building here in Paso Robles in another "Rambling Rose." Until then -
Written this 4th day of May, 2009
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
Our Move To Taft
There is quite a bit to this Story. I hope you will learn something from it.
As mentioned before, Jay was out of work, and had taken a trip North to see if he could locate work for his Truck. When he went into Hartman Ready Mix in Taft, CA he made a deal with the owner with a Hand Shake only. No time was given for the term of the verbal contract, but things worked out so well that Jay worked for them from 1965 until 1973. The work was pulling loads of concrete into the Oil Fields and Building sites all over Kern County.
I have told you about the House in Taft and how we came to get it, but I didn't get into the sale of the home in Pico Rivera, CA. This was our first experience of seeing just how the Lord moves his children from one place of abode to another. It was a job to get the house ready for sale. Jay was able to come home on week-ends once in awhile to get things completed for the sale. The kids and I were busy doing what we could.
I don't think the move was to be as big a trial for Dawn as it was for Paul. He had been pushed around by the School System so far as his High School was concerned. He had been sent to a new High School in Santa Fe Springs for his Freshman year, which was hard on him. Then when they were to advance as Sophomores, they were transferred to the School he had wanted in the first place, which was El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera. He went there as a Sophomore and Junior only to be told his Senior year would be in Taft High School. This did not set well. He had qualified for the Honor Choir at El Rancho and they were to make a trip to Europe to sing. The
change would mean he wouldn't have anything in his Senior Year. Rebellion was the order of the day from there out. Nothing would change the move, so I tried to do all I could to make the move bearable. Paul made up his mind he would attend school, but he would spend all the rest of the time in his room. I had to settle for that, there was just too much to do to do otherwise.
Now for the house. It was brought up to the best standard we could make it. We needed a Realtor to list it, and to the selling. Before we got that far, a Lady knocked on the door and said she had heard we were going to sell. I assured her that information was correct, and she
told me she would buy the house. End of story. It appeared to me that the Lord intended us to make this move, and He had sent someone to make the transition possible, post haste.
The house in Taft was not ready when we got there, but the garage was finished so we could put all of our furniture inside and lock it up. We lived in the small one bedroom apartment Jay and Mac were renting. It was a tight fit for a few weeks, but Mac was great at sharing, and they both were glad to have a cook and housekeeper after so long a time at doing things for themselves.
When we moved into the house, Mac kept the apartment and worked for a few months more then found a job closer home. We surely missed him.
Well, Paul found that Taft had a few more opportunities than he had figured on. Number one was, it was Oildarado Days and he was allowed to grow a beard. A very nice one too, it was. It was Summer when we moved so he had time to get acquaited with the town and with all the fun things that were taking place, he got to meet some of the young people in town. On a very different footing than he might have going to High School on the first day. All in all it turned out to be a good thing.
Taft is a Western Town. The kids dressed quite casual, jeans and tee shirts. While Paul had been going to School in a City setting and the dress standard was much different. He had been wearing dress slacks, dress shoes and short sleeve dress shirts. The first day of School he made quite a picture. All the girls particular were impressed with the "new boy". He was told right away that the beard had to come off. He would have been more upset I believe if his first day of
school had not been so favorable. The guys didn't resent him, and the attention of the girls was
more than welcome. Paul found he fit in, in fact he had a better time than he thought he would have at a bigger High School with the Choir perks thrown in.
Dawn started Junior High School her first day, and fit in quite well. Being a small town, the kids both found they were befriended quite well on their first day. Dawn became active in Drama and made good friends right away. Paul found he had many interests with some of the fellas and was added to a band right away. Of course that drew me into the mix. I made fancy reversable vests for the band members to wear. I was happy they had some place other than our house to practice however. Jay had made some good friends through work and so it was up to me to make my own nitche in town. It took some time, but we all settled in very well, thank you.
Paul graduated the next summer and prepared for his Mission for the Church of Jesus Chirst of Latter-day Saints. While he waited he signed up for classes at Taft Communtiy College and here again found he fit in very well. He went to the Councilors and asked if they had ever had male cheer leaders for the football games. They told him no. He offered to work out with the girls and was given an O.K. so long as he was willing to furnish his own clothing. It had not been budgeted for. He bought a pair of black slacks and was fortunate enough to find a matching sweater to what the girls had. He was accepted and that year was even able to attend the Potato Bowl with the team in Oklahoma. That was a fitting climax to his year I would say.
His Mission caused some problems with the Ward Leadership. It seems that Small Town Wards have a quest for "Appearance". Something we had not had to deal with where we came from.
For a time we felt we might have to apply to the Ward we came from to get Pauls papers to be submitted. Once the Bishop realized he wasn't going to force his will on us, he gave in and with
"reservations" sent Pauls papers in. Our next problem was with Paul being ordained an Elder. Here again the Bishop wanted to exert his will over ours. He wouldn't allow Pauls friend from Pico River to be the one to do the ordination. By then I had had about all I was willing to take, and I called the Stake President whose name was Pettit. He assured me that Paul could be ordained by anyone at any time and in any place he chose. He realized we were having some problems, and assured us he would see to it that this was stopped. In the final stage, I guess the worst was dealt us. Pauls call, as you might know, goes both to him and to the Bishopric of the Ward. There was some mix up in Pauls Call being delivered. I called the Post Office and was not able to decern what had happened to it. Before we got our letter, the Bishop got his and without calling us, made the annoucement in Sacrament Meeting where Paul was to go, even before he
knew himself. Talk about trials. All and all I would have to confess our time in the Taft Ward will not go down in our memory as one of the bright spots in our Church Membership. As if that was not enough to tell, when Paul returned from Vietnam (where he went following his Mission)
one of the Ward Memebers who was not happy with Paul approached him after Sacrament Meeting one Sunday and told him to his face: "I wish you hadn't returned from Vietnam".
I have always chalked that up to sheer stupidity. Fortunately Paul didn't live in the Ward all that much longer, but the effect I am sure stayed with him. Added to a number of other things,
I suppose it was one of the major reasons he fell into inactivity for a number of years. How greatful I am however that what he had learned and had a testimony of kept him from loosing his testimony totally. He has been able to come back, and join once again in full Membership.
It was about this time we realized that work was getting to the point the truck and Jay would have to find other employment. Jay went South this time and was able to find a Broker who would line up work for him in Orange County. Again it was time for us to move on. To add to the problem of selling, the house across the street was identical to ours, except they had a few upgrades and a built in pool. Jay had put a pool in our house, it was in the ground, but not professionally built in. Everyone told us we would never be able to get our money out of the house. We continued to ready the property to go on the market, and had hopes we could get our price. I don't suppose it would surprise you to hear that once again, a Lady came to our door and wanted to know if we were selling. I assured her we were. She told me she had looked at the place across the street, but the people wanted more for it than she was willing to pay. When I
told her what we were asking she offered to buy. Again we were assured the move was what the Lord wanted.
I guess I should add that at this time Paul was engaged to Jan Nelson and Dawn had just graduated from Taft High School and was working at the Telephone Company with a very good job. Her Dad had bought her a New Datsan so she had a good car and good income to pay for the balance on the car. She and Jan would live in the house until it had cleared escrow. So Jay and
I were able to move to Anaheim, CA where we had found another home. There is more to this story, but I will add it with the Anaheim experiences.
Written this 4th day of May, 2009
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
As mentioned before, Jay was out of work, and had taken a trip North to see if he could locate work for his Truck. When he went into Hartman Ready Mix in Taft, CA he made a deal with the owner with a Hand Shake only. No time was given for the term of the verbal contract, but things worked out so well that Jay worked for them from 1965 until 1973. The work was pulling loads of concrete into the Oil Fields and Building sites all over Kern County.
I have told you about the House in Taft and how we came to get it, but I didn't get into the sale of the home in Pico Rivera, CA. This was our first experience of seeing just how the Lord moves his children from one place of abode to another. It was a job to get the house ready for sale. Jay was able to come home on week-ends once in awhile to get things completed for the sale. The kids and I were busy doing what we could.
I don't think the move was to be as big a trial for Dawn as it was for Paul. He had been pushed around by the School System so far as his High School was concerned. He had been sent to a new High School in Santa Fe Springs for his Freshman year, which was hard on him. Then when they were to advance as Sophomores, they were transferred to the School he had wanted in the first place, which was El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera. He went there as a Sophomore and Junior only to be told his Senior year would be in Taft High School. This did not set well. He had qualified for the Honor Choir at El Rancho and they were to make a trip to Europe to sing. The
change would mean he wouldn't have anything in his Senior Year. Rebellion was the order of the day from there out. Nothing would change the move, so I tried to do all I could to make the move bearable. Paul made up his mind he would attend school, but he would spend all the rest of the time in his room. I had to settle for that, there was just too much to do to do otherwise.
Now for the house. It was brought up to the best standard we could make it. We needed a Realtor to list it, and to the selling. Before we got that far, a Lady knocked on the door and said she had heard we were going to sell. I assured her that information was correct, and she
told me she would buy the house. End of story. It appeared to me that the Lord intended us to make this move, and He had sent someone to make the transition possible, post haste.
The house in Taft was not ready when we got there, but the garage was finished so we could put all of our furniture inside and lock it up. We lived in the small one bedroom apartment Jay and Mac were renting. It was a tight fit for a few weeks, but Mac was great at sharing, and they both were glad to have a cook and housekeeper after so long a time at doing things for themselves.
When we moved into the house, Mac kept the apartment and worked for a few months more then found a job closer home. We surely missed him.
Well, Paul found that Taft had a few more opportunities than he had figured on. Number one was, it was Oildarado Days and he was allowed to grow a beard. A very nice one too, it was. It was Summer when we moved so he had time to get acquaited with the town and with all the fun things that were taking place, he got to meet some of the young people in town. On a very different footing than he might have going to High School on the first day. All in all it turned out to be a good thing.
Taft is a Western Town. The kids dressed quite casual, jeans and tee shirts. While Paul had been going to School in a City setting and the dress standard was much different. He had been wearing dress slacks, dress shoes and short sleeve dress shirts. The first day of School he made quite a picture. All the girls particular were impressed with the "new boy". He was told right away that the beard had to come off. He would have been more upset I believe if his first day of
school had not been so favorable. The guys didn't resent him, and the attention of the girls was
more than welcome. Paul found he fit in, in fact he had a better time than he thought he would have at a bigger High School with the Choir perks thrown in.
Dawn started Junior High School her first day, and fit in quite well. Being a small town, the kids both found they were befriended quite well on their first day. Dawn became active in Drama and made good friends right away. Paul found he had many interests with some of the fellas and was added to a band right away. Of course that drew me into the mix. I made fancy reversable vests for the band members to wear. I was happy they had some place other than our house to practice however. Jay had made some good friends through work and so it was up to me to make my own nitche in town. It took some time, but we all settled in very well, thank you.
Paul graduated the next summer and prepared for his Mission for the Church of Jesus Chirst of Latter-day Saints. While he waited he signed up for classes at Taft Communtiy College and here again found he fit in very well. He went to the Councilors and asked if they had ever had male cheer leaders for the football games. They told him no. He offered to work out with the girls and was given an O.K. so long as he was willing to furnish his own clothing. It had not been budgeted for. He bought a pair of black slacks and was fortunate enough to find a matching sweater to what the girls had. He was accepted and that year was even able to attend the Potato Bowl with the team in Oklahoma. That was a fitting climax to his year I would say.
His Mission caused some problems with the Ward Leadership. It seems that Small Town Wards have a quest for "Appearance". Something we had not had to deal with where we came from.
For a time we felt we might have to apply to the Ward we came from to get Pauls papers to be submitted. Once the Bishop realized he wasn't going to force his will on us, he gave in and with
"reservations" sent Pauls papers in. Our next problem was with Paul being ordained an Elder. Here again the Bishop wanted to exert his will over ours. He wouldn't allow Pauls friend from Pico River to be the one to do the ordination. By then I had had about all I was willing to take, and I called the Stake President whose name was Pettit. He assured me that Paul could be ordained by anyone at any time and in any place he chose. He realized we were having some problems, and assured us he would see to it that this was stopped. In the final stage, I guess the worst was dealt us. Pauls call, as you might know, goes both to him and to the Bishopric of the Ward. There was some mix up in Pauls Call being delivered. I called the Post Office and was not able to decern what had happened to it. Before we got our letter, the Bishop got his and without calling us, made the annoucement in Sacrament Meeting where Paul was to go, even before he
knew himself. Talk about trials. All and all I would have to confess our time in the Taft Ward will not go down in our memory as one of the bright spots in our Church Membership. As if that was not enough to tell, when Paul returned from Vietnam (where he went following his Mission)
one of the Ward Memebers who was not happy with Paul approached him after Sacrament Meeting one Sunday and told him to his face: "I wish you hadn't returned from Vietnam".
I have always chalked that up to sheer stupidity. Fortunately Paul didn't live in the Ward all that much longer, but the effect I am sure stayed with him. Added to a number of other things,
I suppose it was one of the major reasons he fell into inactivity for a number of years. How greatful I am however that what he had learned and had a testimony of kept him from loosing his testimony totally. He has been able to come back, and join once again in full Membership.
It was about this time we realized that work was getting to the point the truck and Jay would have to find other employment. Jay went South this time and was able to find a Broker who would line up work for him in Orange County. Again it was time for us to move on. To add to the problem of selling, the house across the street was identical to ours, except they had a few upgrades and a built in pool. Jay had put a pool in our house, it was in the ground, but not professionally built in. Everyone told us we would never be able to get our money out of the house. We continued to ready the property to go on the market, and had hopes we could get our price. I don't suppose it would surprise you to hear that once again, a Lady came to our door and wanted to know if we were selling. I assured her we were. She told me she had looked at the place across the street, but the people wanted more for it than she was willing to pay. When I
told her what we were asking she offered to buy. Again we were assured the move was what the Lord wanted.
I guess I should add that at this time Paul was engaged to Jan Nelson and Dawn had just graduated from Taft High School and was working at the Telephone Company with a very good job. Her Dad had bought her a New Datsan so she had a good car and good income to pay for the balance on the car. She and Jan would live in the house until it had cleared escrow. So Jay and
I were able to move to Anaheim, CA where we had found another home. There is more to this story, but I will add it with the Anaheim experiences.
Written this 4th day of May, 2009
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
How I Was Prepared
We never know what lies ahead of us do we?
It wasn't until I was talking to my Home Teachers that I realized how I had been prepared for the things ahead of me. I believe I have mentioned before that my Grandmother Hall was a confinement Nurse. I suppose she had worked with another who had given her some great training and prepared her in advance of the needs that would come into her life. Looking back I can see just how incidents that had occured in my life was leading me to the training I would need to confront the cituations that were to come into mine.
When my parents were in an auto accident that caused my Dads death, and my Mothers severe
injuries, I hadn't had any training to speak of. The need to care for someone seriously ill had not
entered into my daily life. Oh, my children had had illnesses that took time and loving care, but not any real confinement conditions. Those were to come much later.
My Mother-in-law had surgery that caused her to be confined for sometime. She was alone during the daytime, and Jay asked if I could go over and take care of her while her husband was a work. Everyday, I would get the kids up and off to school, then I would drive into Bell, CA and look after Itha Zimmer. She had worked for years at a job that caused her to stand most of the day on cement floors. This had caused her varicous veins to become a problem, and she had the surgery to "strip" the veins in her legs. The surgery was pretty extensive so she was laid up for quite awhile. Her legs needed to be bandaged which was quite a job for a novice. I learned how to do it however. While I was caring for her, I noticed a spot on one of her legs that was a concern to us. We watched it all day, and noticed that it was moving up her leg rather rapidly.
We called the Dr. and he wanted her back in the hospital because it was a blood clot. Nothing we
had neglected or done had caused the problem, it was serious all the same, and she was put back
in the hospital to have medication and hope they could stop the movement before it got beyond
the point of more difficulties.
What was to be a short time of care, turned into an extended care in her home. She progress well. In the time I was there, I thought how much easier it would have been had I known a bit more about what I was doing. It wasn't long after this that my Father-in-law was hospitalized and when he was released he came to our home to be cared for. It was while I was caring for
him the accident my parents were in happened. I took Gower Rosenberg to his daughter Afton
Cowles to complete his return to full health when I brought Mother home to care for her.
Once this was behind me, Jay was out of work and needed to find work for his Transit Mixer.
He and few other independent drivers drove the distance of California looking for work. Jay
and Mac McCann were fortunate to find work for their trucks in Taft, CA. When it turned into a long term job, our home was sold in Pico Rivera, CA and we moved the family to Taft. Jay was able to find a new home that was being constructed. The original buyer was a Pastor who had
a falling out with his Congregation and left Taft. We were able to take over the building contract
and finished the house.
I will tell you more about this, but for now, on with the progression of my training for the future.
Next to the High School in Taft is the Community College. After we were settled for a time, I read they were offering a course on Home Health. I signed up and found that it was a basic nursing course. When it was completed successfully the class members would be certified as
California Home Health Aides. I enjoyed the classes, and was successful in completeing the course. I did register with the State, but did not follow through with any kind of a job. The Instructor was much impressed with my natural ability and encouraged me to go on to complete the training as a LVN - Licenced Vocational Nurse. The course was offered in Bakersfield at
one of the Hosptials as a continuation of what I had just finished. It would have ment that I could work in a Hospital and qualified to give shots as well as other duties. Jay would not let me go as it was 50 miles to Bakersfield one way, and much of the training was at night. The area
was bothered by Toole Fog and danger in driving was more than he wanted me to be subjected to. Soooo, I never finished. I have had mixed feeling about it, however, I respected Jay and would not go against his advice.
Some years later, the work was poor in Taft so Jay moved his truck to Orange, County and we
sold out in Taft and moved to Anaheim. We were "empty nesters" then and decided to take up
night school classes to do things together. You might say this started a pattern for us while we were in Orange County. Eight years later Jay decided to sell his truck and retire. It didn't take long to sell the business, however getting Jay to move again was a problem. He didn't want to start over, and I didn't want to stay where we were. After some heated discussions Jay decided to look at property I had found while visiting with Our Daughter in Atascadero, CA. He finally gave in. We bought a lot and contracted the construction of the home I now live in.
As we had attended many classes in Orange, County we started again in San Luis Obispo, County. The continual learning of new things was fun and helped us get acquainted with the area in which we now lived. One day I noticed a Class by Hospice that was being offered on a Saturday Morning. I decided to sign up. I finished the course as it was outlined and was Certified as a Hospice Partner. Something I never did, but the training was valuable in more than one case.
Little by little I had been led to things that would train me for the time when my Husband would become serious ill and need care. Because I had the training needed, I was able to keep him home instead of putting him into a care facility. With Paul at home, and with the medical training he had in the Service, we were able to take care of every need that would arrise. When the time came to face the end of that care and the release of Jay from a body that no long was worthy of his Spirit, I was able to slip into the Hospice part of my training and take care of the needs that arose at that time. I believe it was the Lord who moved me to undertake all of the
necessary classes that led me to the capability needed to fulfill my calling as a wife.
I have found when we follow the promtings of the Spirit we are moved along to where we are needed to be. It was not that the training would have been helpful long before I had it, but that I had it because I felt a real need to be better prepared when any cituation presented itself. Life
does not always come at you in perfect order. Somethings are given as preparation. Whatever
we can do to improve ourselves for lifes challenges the better we are able to endure the rough spots that come our way. And come they will!
Written this 4th day of May, 2009
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
It wasn't until I was talking to my Home Teachers that I realized how I had been prepared for the things ahead of me. I believe I have mentioned before that my Grandmother Hall was a confinement Nurse. I suppose she had worked with another who had given her some great training and prepared her in advance of the needs that would come into her life. Looking back I can see just how incidents that had occured in my life was leading me to the training I would need to confront the cituations that were to come into mine.
When my parents were in an auto accident that caused my Dads death, and my Mothers severe
injuries, I hadn't had any training to speak of. The need to care for someone seriously ill had not
entered into my daily life. Oh, my children had had illnesses that took time and loving care, but not any real confinement conditions. Those were to come much later.
My Mother-in-law had surgery that caused her to be confined for sometime. She was alone during the daytime, and Jay asked if I could go over and take care of her while her husband was a work. Everyday, I would get the kids up and off to school, then I would drive into Bell, CA and look after Itha Zimmer. She had worked for years at a job that caused her to stand most of the day on cement floors. This had caused her varicous veins to become a problem, and she had the surgery to "strip" the veins in her legs. The surgery was pretty extensive so she was laid up for quite awhile. Her legs needed to be bandaged which was quite a job for a novice. I learned how to do it however. While I was caring for her, I noticed a spot on one of her legs that was a concern to us. We watched it all day, and noticed that it was moving up her leg rather rapidly.
We called the Dr. and he wanted her back in the hospital because it was a blood clot. Nothing we
had neglected or done had caused the problem, it was serious all the same, and she was put back
in the hospital to have medication and hope they could stop the movement before it got beyond
the point of more difficulties.
What was to be a short time of care, turned into an extended care in her home. She progress well. In the time I was there, I thought how much easier it would have been had I known a bit more about what I was doing. It wasn't long after this that my Father-in-law was hospitalized and when he was released he came to our home to be cared for. It was while I was caring for
him the accident my parents were in happened. I took Gower Rosenberg to his daughter Afton
Cowles to complete his return to full health when I brought Mother home to care for her.
Once this was behind me, Jay was out of work and needed to find work for his Transit Mixer.
He and few other independent drivers drove the distance of California looking for work. Jay
and Mac McCann were fortunate to find work for their trucks in Taft, CA. When it turned into a long term job, our home was sold in Pico Rivera, CA and we moved the family to Taft. Jay was able to find a new home that was being constructed. The original buyer was a Pastor who had
a falling out with his Congregation and left Taft. We were able to take over the building contract
and finished the house.
I will tell you more about this, but for now, on with the progression of my training for the future.
Next to the High School in Taft is the Community College. After we were settled for a time, I read they were offering a course on Home Health. I signed up and found that it was a basic nursing course. When it was completed successfully the class members would be certified as
California Home Health Aides. I enjoyed the classes, and was successful in completeing the course. I did register with the State, but did not follow through with any kind of a job. The Instructor was much impressed with my natural ability and encouraged me to go on to complete the training as a LVN - Licenced Vocational Nurse. The course was offered in Bakersfield at
one of the Hosptials as a continuation of what I had just finished. It would have ment that I could work in a Hospital and qualified to give shots as well as other duties. Jay would not let me go as it was 50 miles to Bakersfield one way, and much of the training was at night. The area
was bothered by Toole Fog and danger in driving was more than he wanted me to be subjected to. Soooo, I never finished. I have had mixed feeling about it, however, I respected Jay and would not go against his advice.
Some years later, the work was poor in Taft so Jay moved his truck to Orange, County and we
sold out in Taft and moved to Anaheim. We were "empty nesters" then and decided to take up
night school classes to do things together. You might say this started a pattern for us while we were in Orange County. Eight years later Jay decided to sell his truck and retire. It didn't take long to sell the business, however getting Jay to move again was a problem. He didn't want to start over, and I didn't want to stay where we were. After some heated discussions Jay decided to look at property I had found while visiting with Our Daughter in Atascadero, CA. He finally gave in. We bought a lot and contracted the construction of the home I now live in.
As we had attended many classes in Orange, County we started again in San Luis Obispo, County. The continual learning of new things was fun and helped us get acquainted with the area in which we now lived. One day I noticed a Class by Hospice that was being offered on a Saturday Morning. I decided to sign up. I finished the course as it was outlined and was Certified as a Hospice Partner. Something I never did, but the training was valuable in more than one case.
Little by little I had been led to things that would train me for the time when my Husband would become serious ill and need care. Because I had the training needed, I was able to keep him home instead of putting him into a care facility. With Paul at home, and with the medical training he had in the Service, we were able to take care of every need that would arrise. When the time came to face the end of that care and the release of Jay from a body that no long was worthy of his Spirit, I was able to slip into the Hospice part of my training and take care of the needs that arose at that time. I believe it was the Lord who moved me to undertake all of the
necessary classes that led me to the capability needed to fulfill my calling as a wife.
I have found when we follow the promtings of the Spirit we are moved along to where we are needed to be. It was not that the training would have been helpful long before I had it, but that I had it because I felt a real need to be better prepared when any cituation presented itself. Life
does not always come at you in perfect order. Somethings are given as preparation. Whatever
we can do to improve ourselves for lifes challenges the better we are able to endure the rough spots that come our way. And come they will!
Written this 4th day of May, 2009
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)